Gwynedd Valley, Pa. – (12/9/2021) – "We're pumped," exclaimed Gwynedd Mercy University Head Track and Field Coach, Joe Dare. "As we've gotten closer to start of the season, we've seen a huge increase in our positive energy and attitude. After taking a year off from indoor competition the Griffins are ready to show what they can do!" With no indoor competition scheduled during the 2020-2021 season, Gwynedd Mercy University will partake in their first enclosed event in over a year this Friday, December 10, when they visit Ursinus College for the Bow Tie Invitational (4:00 p.m.).
 
The remainder of the Griffins' indoor schedule includes a pair of trips to the Ocean Breeze Athletic Complex for the New York City Gotham Cup (Jan. 21) and the Fastrack Last Chance Invitational (Feb. 25), as well as Muhlenberg College's Indoor Invitational (Jan. 28), a return to Ursinus College for the Frank Colden Invitational (Feb. 5), Monmouth University's Winter Invitational (Feb. 11), and a visit to the New York City Armory for the Eastern College Athletic Conference (ECAC) DIII Indoor Track and Field Championships (Mar. 4-5).
 
The transition to the outdoor season sends the Gwynedd Mercy University to the Stockton University Invitational (Mar. 26), Rowan University's Oscar Moore Invitational (Apr. 2), and the Ursinus College Outdoor Invitational (Apr. 9), before they return home for the Gwynedd Mercy University Midweek Twilight Invitational (Apr. 14). The latter half of April places the Griffins at the Widener University Invitational (Apr. 22-23), the Penn Relays (Apr. 28-29), and the College of New Jersey's Lions' Invitational (Apr. 29-30). The competition all leads up the Atlantic East Conference (AEC) Track and Field Championships – which are scheduled for May 7 and 8 at the Gwynedd Mercy University Athletic Complex – and ECAC DIII Outdoor Track and Field Championships (May 18-19).
 
"We lost some key contributors," admits Coach Dare. "Especially on the men's side where we graduated James Harte '21 – a AEC Top-5 finisher in the Pentathlon (1^st, 2,190 points), 110-Meter Hurdles (5^th, 17.68), Long Jump (5^th, 5.75 meters), Discus (3^rd, 26.5 meters), Hammer (4^th, 18.31 meters), and Javelin (4^th, 34.15 meters) – and Brandon Higgins '21, who offered AEC Top-5 finishes in the Pole Vault (2^nd, 34.15 meters), 400-Meter Hurdles (5^th, 1:07.59), and the Triple Jump (4^th, 10.78 meters)."

Taking the lead for the Griffin men in 2022 will be graduate Matt LoStracco (Chalfont, Pa.) and a deep collection of sophomores and juniors fresh off the close of the 2021 cross country season. LoStracco impressed in his only collegiate performance at the 2021 Immaculata University Invitational (Apr. 14), where he placed eighth in the Javelin (29.52 meters), second in both the Shot Put (9.83 meters) and the Discus (27.90 meters), and contributed to a fifth-place finish (50.15) in the 4x100-Meter Relay. Meanwhile, sophomore Karam Aldarwich (Dresher, Pa.) and junior Sean Morris (Limerick, Pa.) headlined the Griffins' success at the 2021 AEC Track and Field Championships with respective All-AEC Second Team finishes in the 3,000-Meter Steeplechase (2^nd, 11:28.63) and the 10,000-Meter (2^nd, 34:15.57). Junior Thomas Balla (Trevose, Pa.) was the third-place finisher (38:40.3) in the 10,000-Meter and the fifth-place finisher (18:19.2) in the 5,000-Meter. Fellow junior, Chris Bautista (Milmont Park, Pa.) was part of fourth-place finishes in the 4x100-Meter (52.90) and the 4x400-Meter (4:10.44) Relays, while their classmate Kevin Johnston (Hatboro, Pa.) enjoyed ninth-place runs in the 800-Meter (2:27.91) and the 1,500-Meter (5:15.17).
 
Also returning to the Gwynedd Mercy University men's track and field roster are junior Ilya Soulaimanov (Newtown, Pa.), sophomores; Israel Atonal'Varela (Warminster, Pa.), Badr Fask (Bristol, Pa.), Melvin Mathew (North Wales, Pa.), Brandon Soubik (Lansdale, Pa.), and freshmen; Gustavo Bibao (Madrid, Spain), Ethan Wharton, Jayden Williamson, and Zeyuan Yu.
 
Senior Siobhan McShea (Ephrata, Pa.) stands as the top returner for the Griffin women as she offered four All-AEC First Team finishes – 100-Meter Hurdles (1^st, 17.23), 400-Meter Hurdles (1^st, 1:09.41), High Jump (1.4 meters), and Pentathlon (1^st, 1,937 points) – and an All-AEC Second Team performance in the Long Jump (2^nd, 4.76 meters). Her all-conference accolades were complimented by All-AEC results from senior Caitlyn Behan (Trappe, Pa.) and junior Meghan LoStracco (Chalfont, Pa.) as the former offered an All-AEC Second Team finish in the Pole Vault (2^nd, 2.10 meters) and the latter provided an All-AEC Second Team finish in the Hammer (2^nd, 20.83).
 
Juniors, Alicia Bennett (Philadelphia, Pa.) and Keely Greene (Philadelphia, Pa.) were also major contributors at the 2021 AEC Track and Field Championships. The former placed eighth (2:59.68) in the 800-Meter, while the latter finished third (49:34.66) in the 10,000-Meter. Both competed in the 1,500-Meter - respectively placing seventh (6:10.32) and 10^th (6:22.12) – and partook in the relays as they anchored the 4x100-Meter (4^th, 1:04.96) before Bennett ran the third leg of the 4x400-Meter (4^th, 5:25.92).
 
Also returning to the Gwynedd Mercy University women's track and field roster are juniors; Bridget D'Arcy (Doylestown, Pa.), Kristen Dougher (Saylorsburg, Pa.), and Anneliese Zazyczny (Buckingham, Pa.), sophomores; Avamarie Backich (Southampton, Pa.) and Alissa LaGrotte (Souderton, Pa.), and freshmen; Jenna Clarency (Philadelphia, Pa.), Keyra Heinlein (Lansdale, Pa.), Yesenia Henningham (Philadelphia, Pa.), and Dejah Howe (Bensalem, Pa.). Behan and D'Arcy were the front half combination of the Griffins' 4x100-Meter and 4x400-Meter Relay teams.
 
"We are looking to score more with a more experienced roster," said Coach Dare. "Our additions will allow us to continue our growth and development in all events! Our goals are Top-10 finishes at the ECAC Indoor and Outdoor Championships and some individual champions at the AEC meet in May, and we can't wait to get started!"